Frequently Asked Questions

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Issuers and Networks FAQs

Who is Discover Financial Services?

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover® card, America’s cash rewards pioneer, and offers home loans, private student loans, personal loans, home equity loans, checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts through its direct banking business. It operates the Discover® Global Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE®, one of the nation’s leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International®, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories.

What is Discover Global Network?

Discover Global Network is the third largest global payments network by acceptance1 with more than 39 million merchant acceptance locations and 1.8 million ATM and cash access locations across 185 countries and territories. The Discover Global Network brings together Diners Club International, Discover, PULSE and a select group of Alliance Partners to serve the payment needs of millions of Cardholders worldwide.

1. By merchant locations, Global Payment Cards Data and Forecasts to 2020—Regional Comparisons, Retail Banking and Research (RBR), July 2015

What are the Global Network Alliances?

Discover Global Network Alliances facilitate electronic payments across multiple networks around the world. As a result, the domestic network partners can issue cards under the Global Card Program and can accept Discover, Diners Club, and cards issued by our existing Network Alliance at POS and ATMs managed by the domestic network within its own market.

Who are the existing global Network Alliance Partners?

What are the benefits of the Global Card Program (Issuing)?

Discover Global Card Program provides a faster and more economical access to international acceptance for a domestic networking by establishing a link to Discover Global Network. Domestic network continues to manage and control its own brand and rules in the domestic market.

What are the benefits of joining Discover Global Network (Acquirer)?

By linking to the Discover Global Network your domestic network becomes part of the third largest networks in the world. Our partnership allows key participants of a domestic network — merchants, ATM providers, acquirers — to see additional volume in the domestic market from our 70+ million global cardholders.

Do you offer an EMV solution?

D-Payment Application Specification (D-PAS), is the Discover® EMV compliant smart-card payment solution for both contact and contactless interfaces. Our solution supports and conforms to current EMV standards, allowing for easy implementation and integration of the D-PAS solution. We work with a domestic network to implement rapid-issuance chip services that minimize host system changes, reduce start-up costs and improve speed to market.

What are the terms to become a global Network Alliance Partners?

Fraud and Security FAQs

Why is ProtectBuy important?

As EMV reaches critical mass in safeguarding the card present space, fraudulent activity will migrate to card-not-present transactions, as already seen in Europe. ProtectBuy will help reduce the likelihood of fraudulent usage of payment cards.

What is three domain secure (3DS) Authentication?

Three Domain refers to the security from these three domains: 1.) Merchant/Acquirer 2.) Network 3.) Issuer. 3DS creates a secure pipeline across the three parties, which validate a consumer’s identity when they are shopping online.

How is DCI ProtectBuy changing?

DCI ProtectBuy offers card not present (CNP) protection based upon the industry’s latest standard for 3D Secure. With Release 16.2 (October 2016), DCI will update its associated fraud rules to support a global liability shift from merchant to issuer for ProtectBuy transactions. Today, issuers must be participating in ProtectBuy for fraud liability to shift away from the merchant. This change will align with the industry, allowing a participating merchant to shift liability to the issuer without requiring the issuer’s participation.

What do DCI Issuers need to do to prepare?

Issuers who wish to reduce their exposure to fraud are encouraged to enroll in ProtectBuy. Interested participants should submit a General Service Request to learn more about how to enroll in DCI ProtectBuy.

What is DCI doing to assist issuers?

To ease the burden of implementation, DCI is working to implement the best possible solution for providing issuers with hosted services. Issuers would have the option to purchase a packaged Access Control Server (ACS) and Risk Engine directly from DCI (an issuer requirement for participation in 3D Secure), with significantly lower fees and effort. We are hopeful this service will be live and ready to onboard participants in Spring 2016.

How do I enroll in ProtectBuy?

Please contact your Discover Account Executive for more details around timing and how to begin the integration process or email us at protectbuy@discover.com. Or you can enroll here >

Have More Questions?

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